Crooks Fire: Over 9,400 acres scorched; fire crews prepare for critical weather conditions over weekend

Laura Daniella Sepulveda, Arizona Republic
·4 min read

The Crooks Fire near Mount Union, about 10 miles south of Prescott, escalated to 9,402 acres and 38% containment as of Saturday evening.

The fire was reported on April 18, and the cause was still under investigation, according to InciWeb, a website that tracks wildfire information.

Containment defines the amount of the fire's perimeter surrounded by a control line that the fire will not cross.

According to a Prescott National Forest news release, fire crews made some progress along the perimeter on Friday and focused on specific areas of concern.

"Currently the priority remains on preventing the fire moving north on the northwest perimeter and protecting structures near Mount Tritle," the release stated.

Operations section chief Kyle Jacobson, with the California Interagency incident Management Team 4, said fire crews completed the control line near Ash Creek Ridge on Friday.

"That was that last piece of uncompleted line that we've been working for the past few days," Jacobson said in a Saturday morning briefing. "We will have a heavy contingent of resources in there today moping up, securing, making sure we don't get any further fire progression out of that line."

According to the National Weather Service in Flagstaff, a Red Flag warning and a Wind Advisory were issued for Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., for most of northern Arizona due to dry conditions and strong winds that could potentially cause a higher risk of fire starts and rapid spread of existing wildfires.

Jacobson said fire crews will be "heavily engaged" on Saturday to prepare for the weather conditions coming up and make sure the fire stays within its current footprint.

"It's gonna be a big day for us coming into critical fire weather conditions. Resources are making great progress on this fire," Jacobson said.

Prescott National Forest announced Wednesday night that the restricted area would expand to the south and southeast of Prescott. Restrictions for these areas will be in place until May 3.

A map of the updated restricted area can be found on the Prescott National Forest's website.

The U.S. Forest Service announced on Friday that the Prescott National Forest will be entering Stage 1 fire restrictions beginning May 5 at 8 a.m. Restrictions details can be found on the United States Forest Service website at fs.usda.gov/detail/prescott/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1016510.

Fire outlook and smoke forecast

Residents should be aware of increasing smoke conditions due to winds from the south. To monitor the current conditions of the fire, check out the forecast by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

Since the fire began, strong winds have hampered firefighting efforts. The fire remained active in the Slate Creek and lower Crooks Creek drainages, forest officials reported.

Firefighters were able to control a trouble spot just west of Mount Tritle. In the southwest quadrant, the fire slowed its spread because fuels transitioned to smaller and lighter brush, forest officials said.

Increased fire behavior was expected in the northwest area of the fire.

Only two structures were reported damaged since Monday, but additional information will be released when property locations have been verified and owners have been notified, forest officials said.

The U.S. Forest Service said fire crews wrapped Palace Station Historic Stagecoach Stop Cabin in a foil-like wrap designed to reflect heat away from the structure and cleared brush and low-hanging branches near it. The cabin is located in Crooks Canyon roughly 17 miles south of Prescott.

Where is the Crooks Fire burning?

Crooks Fire is burning about 10 miles south of Prescott in the west portion of Prescott National Forest, west of Big Bug Mesa, northwest of Pine Creek, southeast to Mount Tritle, south of Potato Patch and east of Johnson Flat.

The fire reached Mount Union, Mount Davis, Yankee Doodle Peak and Moscow Peak. It also reached Lookout Mountain towards the west.

The Forest Service closed sites in Groom Creek and Lynx Lake recreation areas, White Spar campground, Prescott Circle Trail and the Prescott Basin were closed on April 21. A full list of what is closed can be found on the Forest Service's website.

As of Saturday morning, 857 personnel were working on the fire.

Evacuations in effect

People evacuated from Walker Road north of mile marker 10 and west of Big Bug Mesa were allowed to return home on Monday at 3 p.m.

The area remained in "set" status. Yavapai County Sheriff's Office posted a full list of streets where residents can return on Facebook.

The following areas are under evacuation or "go" status, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office:

  • Mountain Pine Acres.

  • Breezy Pines.

  • Potato Patch.

  • South Walker.

  • Lookout Mountain.

  • Mount Tridal.

The following areas are under "set" status, meaning residents should be ready to evacuate:

  • Groom Creek.

  • Walker North.

  • Ponderosa Park.

  • Pine Flat.

  • Poland Road South.

The American Red Cross said a shelter was set up for residents affected by the fire at the Yavapai College gymnasium, at 1100 E. Sheldon St. in Building 2, in Prescott.

If anyone has questions or needs assistance, they can stop by or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767).

Reporters Angela Cordoba Perez and Amaris Encinas contributed to this article.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Crooks Fire: Over 9,400 acres burned near Prescott; 38% contained